Time waits for no man

Time waits for no man, or should we say in our time, for nobody. It marches on and paints scares and good memories. It was some time back that I found this clock lying next to the dustbin, and at the time I thought that it could be used in one of my paintings. So without wasting a minute, it was grabbed and taken home. The old clock mechanism was removed and replaced with a new one. Then it was attached to the canvas and the art work marched onto to it's conclusion.

Latest exhibition in Lisbon

Wow, it has really been a exctremely long time since I have used this blog. It was very, very diffilcult to get in, as I had forgotten my password. But as you can see - I made it. Have just finished and exhibition in a Lisbon gallery with some wonderful other international artists form all over Portugal. I have just received some great news: the gallery is extending the exhibition for one more week. love the idea. The other bit of great news is that the local TV channel RTP1, will be covering the artists at the exhibition. So now, let me give you some details: The name of the gallery is: Bomretiro. The address is: Rua Sacadura Cabral 23, Vila Franca de Xira and the gallery director is Mário Duarte. If you want to contact him his mobile number is 939721350. A friendly down to eath sort of person,that is keen to promote artists and their work

Skeuomorphic art RWR176- 22,5X27,5cm

Skeuomorphic art: the art of taking a previously functional item and turning it into a purely visual attraction. The expression that I like is "eye candy". It must be sweet to the eye. The piece that is being used must at some previous time been used for a practical purpose and not an aesthetic one. For example: a kettle that was used to boil water in the past may now be used a a side lamp. True the side lamp now has a practical purpose but the way that it have been designed to attract attention rather than shine light. If you look at a electronic circuit board, don´t you find it fascinating? There is a lot of design elements taking place at the same time, there is the technical aspect and to appreciate that you would have to understand computer science. These days the boards are getting smaller and smaller and the variety of of coloured circuit boards is on the increase.

Untitled RWR179

This little number (33x22cm) was done on the back of the canvas.Talk about doing what you are not supposed to do! The purpose of a properly prepared canvas is that the painting will not destroy the support.ie the size will proptect the canvas from the paint.

Deciding on a title RWR180

Deciding on a title for each and every work is harder than actually painting the piece. I find that there is a certain amount of undue pressure to title ones work. I find this very disconcerting. Normally after finishing the piece, I the sit back and silently (some time not in silence as there is one or other of my favorite tunes playing in the background) and contemplate the results. Most of the time I can find an appropriate title that suites the work, but there are other times that I simply can not find one. Days go by and still no title is formed in my mind. So that is when I just give up. The only positive usage of a title is to identify the piece. But if you have been following the history of some famous paintings, you will have noticed that the title can change with the passing of time and the critic.

RWR181 Skeuomorphism

Wow, at last I have managed to upload an image, I don´t know why but chrome was not uploading any image, so I changed to Firefox and was left smiling. I have just learnt a new definition to the style of my art work: Skeuomorphism, to replace the style called Assemblage. The reason for this, is because the definition of skeuomorphic is more appropriate. Skeuomorphism is the taking of an object that used to perform a practical function, and now using it to satisfy a purely aesthetic function. Its appearance now is more important that its role in the past. If you look at my work, I have taken and old mother board from a computer (that used to compute various functions) and now it is part of the canvas, so that it is visually appealing or interesting. It now serves no other purpose that having a visual effect. It has now morphed from practical function to a visual function. This little canvas of 30x30cm has a small digital circuit board that was painted white, and a few other item removed from an old computer.

Newspaper article about the exhibition

http://www.oribeiradepera.com/robin-read-volta-a-casa-do-tempo-com-electrical-dependency/

Exhibition at Castanheira de Perá

SteamPunk Jewelry Box

This is a perfect example of Steampunk Art, it reflects the creativity of the maker to use discarded household items for a functional use, other than what it was intended for in the beginning. The circuit boards were initially made for the use of a computer, but now they have been recommissioned to be part of a jewelry box. Naturally the circuit boards do not work any longer, but they make for an interesting coverage. There is also the Jackson Pollock style of splashing colour onto the box. This is truly a one-of-a-kind item, because each circuit board is different and each splash of paint is different, no one can make a perfect copy. This makes it an Ideal Original Gift The box is 17X11X9cm high. The lid comes off completely https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/653591343/steampunk-jewelry-box-by-robin-read?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=steampunk%20jewelry%20box&ref=sr_gallery-9-12&organic_search_click=1

Wall steampunk Lamp

This is the epitome of steam punk art, the mix of household junk that can be used to create a unique one of a kind item, never to be replicated. There is nothing ubiquitous about this lamp - none of your family or friends will have the same lamp. Steampunk art is the art of representing the creativity of a post apocalyptic situation, where the necessity and imagination to accomplish a particular function are tested. It does not necessarily work - it is the representation of a solution - however this light does work. This is set up for a 220V system. A 5W, 250 Lumen LED bulb, socket E14, multiple colours that can changed with a strobe, smooth or flash function The bulb can be switched on or off using a remote control, that also has variety of colours at the touch of a button. The white light also has a dimmer. It protrudes from the wall for 30cm (with the bulb). Height being 21cm and width 19cm The camping gas cylinder does not have any gas at all. It has been completely emptied and disemboweled. ie there is nothing inside it.

Kettle Lamp

I feel like I´m a analog man trapped in a digital age. Absolutely everything that we use seems to require the use of circuit boards and electricity. I remember a time (goodness me I sound old) when we wanted to write something we picked up a pen and made marks on paper. There is something to be said for the feels of the pen on the paper, the smell of linseed oil of the paints, the heat of the blowtorch. Most people do not write, they type. Artist do their work on a screen, which seems to me to be remote and untouchable. Almost detached from the work at hand. In no way am I belittling the work of the modern artist, they can conjure up some really interesting and beautiful painting. But I like to feel the materials that are in use. Old discarded pieces of junk can look and feel very interesting to me. A computer mother board is one of the most beautiful contemporary pieces of art work, that is why I like to use it in my art. Throwing it away just seems to be shameful, you do not throw away some ones else s hard work.maybe that is why I like steampunk art. If you like this steam punk kettle, it is for sale at etsy.com. In the search just type in the words steampunk lamp robin read.

Leiria now

This is a bit (not exactly a bit, because it covers the whole side of a building. What I mean by a bit is that there are other pieces of art work done around the town, and this is just an example of one of them. It's also not a bit in relation to it's whole, as the whole painting can be seen. I could rant more over the inappropriate use of the word bit, until I have completely lost the original idea, which I think has happened) art work done on the side of the local cinema. A little bit of ancient history: The region around Leiria has been inhabited for a long time, although its early history is obscure. The first evident inhabitants were the Turduli Oppidani, a Celtiberian tribe (akin to the Lusitanians), who established a settlement near (around 7 km) present-day Leiria. This settlement was later occupied by the Romans, who expanded it under the original Celtiberian name Collippo. The stones of the ancient Roman town were used in the Middle Ages to build much of Leiria.

Makro

This piece was one of the most difficult to photograph as the tablet screen that was attached to the canvas, kept on reflecting the surrounding area. But I think, eventually got it right. I have a lot of paintings that have been done over the years that I will have to start posting up to this blog. Any, this canvas is 130*120cm and was painted in 2016

Steam Punk Lamp

This is my latest craze and creation. A SteamPunk Lamp. This is constructed from various mechanical devises and used to simulate a post apocalyptic era. This one used an old horn and some computer parts, fixed onto a piece of polished fire wood. In this case the horn does work.

Leiria´s Assemblage Graffiti

Living in this small town called Leiria does have its surprises: this afternoon while taking a walk along the river that runs though the town, I came upon this sculpture that was done against the wall of a building. On closer examination it was pieces of plastic that were screwed to the wall and then the wall was painted. I do not know if this could be called a sculpture or a painting, but I was very impressed. The photo does not do it justice. Maybe the technique could be called "Assemblage Graffiti"

For Whom the Artist Created

"For Whom the Bells Tolls" a title from a famous novel by Erst Hemingway. By I wonder at this statement: "For whom the artist created?". Those words are mine, as they iterate my thoughts about, for whom the painting are painted for. If the artist has been commissioned to paint, sculpt or compose - the answer is evidente. However the amount of unseen art that is created by the creator, is immense and in most cases, is never seen, sometimes even destroyed. However, I surmise that most artists create for one person only - themselves! And I think that any artist of worth will apply his energies to satisfying himself, as to to his/hers worth as an artist. The strongest critic to any work is the creator himself - in his heart of hearts, he will know that the item is a true reflection of his talents and inspiration, and not the art collector or the curator of some gallery. Although the artist still craves the adoration from a neutral third party. It never is safe, to ask anther artist what he thinks of the work (every artist know this) and most of all, never ask a family member what they think of your work. Their options are always based on the fact that they love you (or we hope so). The best judge of his own work, is the artist himself. If he lies to himself, it won't be for long and he will grow to the realisation that he will have to admit, that it was not that great after all. What happens then? Well, it's back to the proverbial drawing board. That constante need to do one better will always exist. This need to forever do one better, can drive an artist nuts. The artist that comes to mind most readily is Van Gogh. An immensely productive artist, churning out sometimes a picture per day, but never been happy with the results. But I must admit - he had other problems as well. I can not quote verbatim, but Picasso said that he was never satisfied with one of his works, as he saw errors in it and knew that the next one he did, would not have the same errors as this one. I believe that this is all an attempt to please the artist himself, maybe that is why I think and that an artist is a selfish person by nature. The artist does not seem to be that good a person then?

RWR172

RWR171

This is another of the small ones (20*20cm). Done on canvas with gold leaf and mobile phone parts.

RWR170

RWR169